Finding the right tech title is covered

Published: Sunday, December 31, 2006

ERIC BENDEROFFCHICAGO TRIBUNE

I'm not the kind of guy who suggests anyone judge a book by its cover, but with tech-related titles, it's all about the cover.

Take the "For Dummies" series for instance. Either you find those books useful or you don't. So, when you see a new one you buy it - or not - based on the cover. Now we have many series to choose from, ranging from "The Missing Manual" to "Visually Speaking." Throw in the "Rough Guides" and others, and it's become a smorgasbord of cover choices.

No matter your preference, tech books serve a great purpose: They are very handy during a crisis. For that reason alone - or maybe you have insomnia - keeping a few key titles around the house is recommended.

For the iPod lover: "iPod: The Missing Manual," by J.D. Biersdorfer, $19.99. This is the fifth edition of a popular series. If you're new to the iPod, or even owned one since 2001, this book is filled with useful advice.

Likewise, Andy Ihnatko's "iPod Fully Loaded" ($19.99) is an engaging read and packed with ideas if you are interested in more technical tricks to try with an iPod.

Finally, "iPod & iTunes For Dummies," ($21.99), by Tony Bove and Cheryl Rhodes, is easy to read and navigate, like the rest of the series. Filled with simple how-to instructions, you won't go wrong putting this on the bookshelf.

Coming soon: Vista: Microsoft's new operating system is a month away from broad release, but that doesn't mean you can't prepare.

"Windows Vista For Dummies, Special Preview Edition," ($9.99) by Andy Rathbone provides a sneak peek of what's to come. If you have someone in your house who can't wait to upgrade, get them started with this title.

For a more detailed look at Vista, check out "Teach Yourself Visually: Microsoft Windows Vista," ($24.99) by Paul McFedries. It's filled with illustrations and easy to understand instructions. I like the "Visually" series of books because they are great for a skim.

MySpace ideas: Similarly, McFedries and Sherry Willard Kinkoph produced the very slim, yet colorful, "MySpace Visual Quick Tips." If you're interested in dressing up your MySpace profile, or simply creating one, consider this title. On the other hand, just asking the teenage neighbor for help might be a better idea.

By the way, "MySpace For Dummies" will be ready in January for $21.99.

Other ideas: Thinking of posting a videoblog? Not sure what a videoblog is? Check out "Videoblogging" ($29.99) by Jay Dedman and Joshua Paul or "Videoblogging For Dummies" ($24.99) by Stephanie Cottrell Bryant. Both books offer the basics of posting videos to your blog. If you don't know what a blog is, ask your teenage neighbor.

A newer title that's starting to build similar buzz among tech execs is "Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything," ($25.95) by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams.

According to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, a wiki "is a type of Web site that allows the visitors themselves to easily add, remove, and otherwise edit and change some available content, sometimes without the need for registration."

Basically, you, me and the neighbor collaborate to rake the leaves from the lawn. It's more efficient that way, a phenomenon the authors claim business leaders better notice.